Improvement in needle-guns



BLITTKOWSKI & HQF'FIVIAN'.

Revolver.

Parented March 25, 1856.

N-FEYERS. PMOTD-THOGBAFMER, WASHINGTON. Dy C ITED STATES PATENT G. A. BLITTKOWSKI AND F. V. HOFFMANN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN NEEDLE-GUNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. LLZISS, dated March 25, 1856.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that we,GUsTAv ADoLPHBLIr'r- KowsKI' and FREDERICK WILLIAM HOFF- MANN, late of Germany, but now of the city, county,l and State of New York, have invented certain new and usef'ul Improvements in Revolving Needle-Guns; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being made to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a side view or elevation. Fig. II is a top view, partly in section. Figs. III, lV, and V are of parts in detail; vand similar letters indicate similar parts throughout.

Our invention is for certain improvements in those revolvingtire-arms in which the discharge is effected by the needle system. The breech revolves upon an axis which turns the same, and so arranged that said breech has two motions-viz., one revolving, as usual, and one vibratory in the direction of the axis. The chargechambers are beveled at their mouths, forming a socket, so as to receive a beveled rim projecting from the end of the barrel, thus forming a tight joint. Before the breech can be rotated it must be withdrawn in order that the socket may clear the rim. The breechis shown at A and the form of the socket at a. The axis b projects through a division-plate, which forms one of its bearings, and terminates within the lock, where the motions necessary for the operations of the breech are imparted. These, as before mentioned, are in two directions. The first to be performed is the one by which the breech is to be drawn back in a line parallel with its axis, in order that the socket may be cleared from the projections. This is effected by the end of the locking-lever c, Fig. 1l, acting upon the end of alight-angled lever, d, the opposite end of which is forked and made to grasp the shaft behind the boss e of the grooved head, as shown. The opposite end of the lever o is bent, and terminates in a foot which engages in a cam, o, upon the tumbler-shaft. Thus in the act of cockin g the crooked end of o glides along the angular grooved cam c. The opposite end is thus pressed against d, whereby t-he forked end of the latter lever is made to pull back the shaft b, and with it the breechchamber.

At b is the locking-groove, into which one end of the lever c falls. This end must be removed before the breech can be drawn backward. There is therefore enough play between c and d for the pointofthe former to get out of said groove before the forked end of d begins to act against e.

The cocking is effected by pulling` upon the handlef, Figs. l and ll, which turns the tuinbler-shalt on which arc placed the several pieces for effecting the revolving and withdrawal of the breech chamber. As this is pulled over the first motion is to draw the latter back through the action of the lever o. At the moment this has been accomplished afoot, g, takes under one of the teeth g', and as the chamber forward. This done the reverse niotion must be given along the axis tothe former position, whereby the socket a is set to a tight joint. At h, Fig. Ill, is another foot upon the tumbler-shaft, which now comes into play by striking against a lever, h', situated as shown inf ig. III, whereby its upper end is in ideto push against the axis b and thrust back the breech-chamber to its former position.

The principal part of the improvement is, rst, the manner of operating the needle, whereby the latter, after having been driven into the cartridge in the act of tiring, is withdrawn by a positive power produced by a peculiar method of locking it to the hammer-head at the moment when that gives the blow, so that the cooking shall cause the needle to be pulled back; and, secondly, in the arrangement of a movable guide for steadying the needle and at the same time make a tightjoint around the touch-hole in the breech.

At t' is the needle, affixed to a strong stock, i', one end of which is supported by abracker,

y, while the other is held by the needle in its guide-tube, (shown at o as in the several iigures.)

In the end of the hammer-head o there is a clutch, the inside faces of which are so beveled or slanted that in the act of giving the blow the lower edges will pass over the head of the detached View, Fig. 1V, the blow which drives the needle forward being given upon the head by the end of the hammer. Thus at the end 1 of the blow the knob is still held in the clutch. l Therefore, in the act of cooking, as the hainmotion of fis continued turns the breech onel knob and embrace its shank, as shown at the f mer is drawn back the needle is pulled back g', and the breech is rotated to the proper disalso by the embrace of the clutch., which does tance. The foot h has now pushed the lever not get clear until the needle has been withh against the end of the axis, and the contindrawn the proper distance. rlhe arc described ned backward motion of the cock throws back by the former iinally separates the two by its the breech to its proper position. The needle rising above. The hammer is not fastened to now stands withdrawn and in position to be the tumbler-shalt, but plays upon a separate propelled forward by the blow of the hammer. center, as seen at p, and is made to move by The hammer, in its forward motion, arrives at a link or stirrup, p', coupling it with an arm the end ot' the needle-stock in such position rising from the tumbler-shaft, as shown. that the knob shall enter the clutch from the The needle-guide, which is also a stop to under side, as it is represented in the act of cover the touch-hole in the breech-chamber, doing in Fig. 1V, the blow being then givenv" i consists of a tube, o', which has play both on to drive it forward with the cartridge, as bethe needle and also in a bearing in the plate fore mentioned, whereby the cap within will r. This play ot' the tube is to allow forvthe be exploded in the usual manner. motion ofthe breech when the latter is drawn We make no claim herein to the method of back preparatory to turning, as exemplified in withdrawing and rotating the cylinder, inas- Fig. IV. When the hammer-head o therefore much as that is embraced substantially in anstrikes the stock i the needle passes through other application submitted by us; but

the tube until the shoulder at the stock strikes We claimp it, when the latter is also carried along until 1. The method of withdrawing the needle by its opposite end strikes the breech-chamber, a positive force applied thereto by means of and this closesaround the touch hole, the shoulthe knob upon the end of the needle-stock, in der forminga stopper for one end and the back combination with the claw upon the end of the end of the breech the other. hammer, so arranged that, becoming engaged In opera-tion the cartridges, .which are to be atthe moment ofgiving the blow, it shall cause prepared as usual for needle-guns, are placed the withdrawal of the needle in the operation in the chamber a! either singly or by means of cooking, as described. of a magazine containing a number. The cock- 2. The guide-tube, for the double purpose of ing-lever fis then pulled back, so that when guiding the needle and ot acting as a stop it arrives at full-cock all the motions for witharound the touch-hole, as described. drawing the breech, revolving it, and returning it to its proper position for trin g have been GUSTAV AD BLITTKOWSKI' gone through. The first motion brings the FREDERICK WILLIAM HOFFMANN cam c into play and starts the levers c and d, Witnesses: f by which the breech is withdrawn. At this mo- J. P. PIRSSON,

ment the foot g has arrived at one of the pins S. H. MAYNARD. 

